The invention concerns a bulk product filling device having a fill channel with a fill opening associated with a processing region by means of which a bulk product which is to be processed can be introduced into the processing region and with a liquid inlet device disposed in the vicinity of the fill channel and suitable for the introduction of liquids.
A bulk product filling device of this kind is e.g. known in the art through the figure on page 89 of the text book "Granulation", published by Heyden Publishing Company 1981, ISBN 0-85501-177-7
A bulk product can be introduced into a processing region of a mixing device or a reactor by means of a bulk product filling device. Mixing tools are displaced along a horizontal shaft to rotate within the mixing device. The size, number, disposition, geometrical shape, and rotational velocity of the mixing tools are mutually adjusted to bring the product introduced into the container into three-dimensional motion. The mixing process is carried out using the centrifugal and swirling method and can be executed continuously or in batches. The mixing process leads to a crossing of the individual travel paths of the bulk product. The bulk product is frequently thrown against the wall of the housing of the mixing device, reflected, and once more captured and accelerated by the mixing tools. For this reason, good mixing is achieved.
For certain mixing processes, liquid components must be introduced into the bulk product. This can, in particular, be necessary when the bulk product tends to produce dust and/or is a granular-type product. One should prevent excessive compression of the bulk product during processing with the mixing tools within the mixing device. The bulk product should behave properly within the mixing device and tend to agglomerate but not to bond and to build structures having a small diameter so that, at the end of the mixing procedure, the product has the proper consistency. Deposition of the bulk product on the walls of the mixing device during mixing is equally undesirable as is the formation of clumps and clusters.
When equipping a bulk product filling device with a liquid inlet device, the following problems result:
In prior art, one part of the liquid inlet device projects into the fill channel to introduce the liquid into the bulk product. The part of the liquid inlet device disposed in the fill channel limits the free cross-section of the fill opening. Filled bulk product therefore cannot stream unhindered into the processing region. The bulk product collides against portions of the liquid inlet device to prevent optimized functioning of the liquid inlet. The liquid can only reach parts of the incoming bulk product. Bulk product can stick to the liquid inlet device and reduce the size of inlet openings of the liquid inlet device or even block them.
In other conventional mixing devices, the liquid inlet device is not disposed in the vicinity of the inlet channel, rather has direct access to the processing region. In this case, the liquid inlet device must be passed through the wall of the mixing device. This kind of feed-through is difficult to effect, since the mixing device is usually surrounded by a jacket of flowing cooling water, a hot water heater or a steam heater. In addition, an insulating layer can also be provided for. A plurality of liquid inlet devices may be necessary for introducing the liquid into the bulk product so that the jacket surrounding the mixing device has to be penetrated a plurality of times. This interferes with the function of this jacket.
The conventional liquid inlet devices provided on the bulk product fill device only lead to moistening of a portion of the bulk product.